Man-trap for vaults



(No Model.)

S. CRANSTON.

MAN TRAP FOR VAULTS. No. 304,180.. Patented Aug. 26, 18841.

WITNESSES: W BY ATTORNEYS.

NITE STATES SAMUEL ORANSTON, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

MAN-TRAP FOR VAULTS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 304,180, dated August26, 1884.

Application filed November 9, 1883.

To aZZ whom it may concern Be it known that I, SAMUEL Onn vs'ron, ofWest Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State ofPennsylvania, haveinvented a new and Improved Man-Trap for Vaults, ofwhich the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of my invention is to provide a new and improved trap-door,which is to be connected with a vault in such a manner that when thevault-door is opened the trap-door drops and prevents the person thatopened the vault-doorfroni escaping through the door at which heentered.

The invention consists in the construction and arrangement of parts, aswill be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part ofthis specification, in which similar letters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in both the figures.

Figure 1 is a longitudinalsectional elevation of a vault-entranceprovided with inyimproved trap-door. Fig. 2 is a sectional plan view ofthe same on the line 00 ac, Fig. 1.

In front of the vault A a tunnel or covered passage-way, B, is arranged,at the inner end of which the vault-door G is arranged, which door ishinged in the usual manner. At the opposite end of the tunnel'orpassageway a transverse slot, D, is formed in the roof or top of thepassage-way or tunnel, through which slot at vertically-sliding door, E,can pass, which is suitably guided, which door, when raised, iscontained within a casing, F, formed above the top of the passage-way;To the top of the door E a rope or chain, G, is fastened, which passesthrough an opening in the top of the casing F, and is used for raisingthe door. The chain can be fastened to a Windlass, drum, or otherdevice, for winding it up to raise the door. The door E must be made soheavy that it cannot be raised by a man without the employment of aWindlass, &c. If desired, catches can be provided in the jamb or in thesill, which catches automatically lock the sliding door in place when itis lowered. On the upper surlace of the top of the passage-way or tunnela sliding latch-bar, H, is held in such a manner that it can slide inthe direction of its length, the said bar being guided by clips J Theinner (N0 model.)

end of the sliding bar H is connected by a rope, band, or chain, L, withthe vault-door O, the said chain or rope passing through a transverseslot, K, in the top of the passageway at the inner end of the same, theedge of the slot being rounded.

The operation is as follows: The door E is raised and the sliding bar His drawn toward the outer end of the tunnel, so that its end will beunder the door E, the vault-door 0 being closed. It" the vault-door O isopened, that end of the rope or chain L fastened to the upper edge ofthe door will be drawn in the direction of the arrow a, and as the ropeor chain rests against the rounded edge of the slot K, the upper end ofthe rope or chain will be drawn in the inverse direction of the arrowat, as will also the bar H, whereby its outer end will be drawn fromunder the door E, permitting the same to drop. The burglar or personopening the vault-door cannot escape, as the door-E closes the entranceto the tunnel, and the said door is so heavy that he cannot raise it. Myimproved safety trapdoor can also be arranged in combination with otherapartments besides vaults. An alarm is connected with the sliding door,which alarm is sounded when the door drops.

I am aware that an animal-trap has been constructed, in which thevertical sliding door is held suspended by a spring-bolt connected by arod to a pivoted trigger extending within the box or trap; and I do notclaim such construction as broadly of my invention.

Having thus described myinvention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent- A man-trap for vaults, consisting of the passage B,transverse slotted casing F, and a chamber above the passage B, thevertical sliding door E in the casing F, the bolt H in the chamber abovethe passage B, and the vault-door G at the inner end of the passage,said door being connected with the bolt by a cord, L, passing throughthe slot K, whereby when the door E rests on the bolt D the openin g ofthe vault-door will cause the withdrawal of the bolt, thereby releasingthe door E, substantially as set forth.

SAMUEL ORANSTON.

Vitnesses:

F. H. FI'ILER, GEO. W. HANoooir.

